That Summer - Jure Maček

Going Home

The next day goes by in a blur. 

I have to say goodbye to Lucia and Lauren at 1PM, since they're going to the airport together and I'm going back home by train. It takes a lot of time but it is cheaper.

So from 1PM on, I'm all alone. We had to check out of our hotel so I'm carrying my luggage around in the 34 degree heat. 

I arrive at the train station at 4PM and take place in the busy train back to my hometown.

I put my suitcase under my seat and pull out my AirPods.

Even though I know they must be really busy, I was sort of excepting Jure to text me today. But maybe that's way too early.

That night at 9PM, I finally arrive.

"Juliana, sweetheart, what have you done to your face?" is the first thing my mom says when she sees me.

I carry my luggage down the steep stairs of my hometown train station. 

"It's nothing, I just fell,"

"You have to be more careful, honey. You need to take good care of yourself, you're still so young," she grabs my face to look at it more clearly.

"Mom, please. I'm so tired, can we just go home?"

She shoots me that all too familiar concerned look and slowly nods. She takes my suitcase and puts it in the back of the car.

"Did you have a good time?" thankfully, she abandons the subject.

"Yes, it was amazing as always," I stare out of the window.

"That's good to hear,"

The ride home is quiet and peaceful. Fortunately, my mom knows me well and she knows when I'm not in the mood to talk.

Once we get home, I greet my dad and then bolt upstairs to my room where I fall asleep quickly.

1 week later...

As I'm putting on my make-up to go to work, my phone starts vibrating on my nightstand. I pick it up to see that it's Lucia calling. I put it on speaker and lay it down on my desk.

"Hey, what's up?" 

"Goodevening to you too, how are you doing?" she asks with her usual happy voice.

"Could be better," I admit.

"I just saw Joker Out announced their gig in Italy. I was thinking of buying tickets," a little taken aback, since me and the girls haven't talked about them all week, I chuckle.

"Wow, you really are a fan huh? Where's this coming from?"

"I've been listening to their music while going to work the past week, and I have to say it's quite nice,"

"So it has nothing to do with you wanting to see Bojan again?"

"Of course not," she immediately goes into self defence mode.

"Have you heard anything from you-know-who?" ah, and there's the attack.

I pause shortly, before putting on my eyeliner.

"No. I've pretty much given up the situation honestly. He was probably just some summer crush and that's all," I sigh.

"Why don't you just text him yourself?" 

"God, Lucia, can you let this go for like, a single second? It's been more than a week, he's probably forgotten my existence. And it's not even important," I snap.

"Wow, look who decided to be a total bitch today," Lucia always takes my bad mood well, which is another thing I love about her. She never gets insulted.

"I'm sorry, but there's so many more guys out there. I know I can't get Jure out of my head, he was like... special. For some reason. But it doesn't matter, I'm sure there's another special guy within the 3.5 billion others," I chuckle.

"Fine. But I'm just telling you to take a risk for once. You know how I believe in soulmates-"

"And you know how I believe it's bullshit,"

She pauses for a while.

"Alright, suit yourself. Are you working today?" finally, a change of subject.

"Yup, have to work from 8PM until closing time," the thought of being behind the bar gives me some comfort at least. Talking to random people all night and pouring drinks might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I couldn't imagine anything better and more distracting.

"Good luck. I'll text you later, just arrived at the supermarket,"

"Yeah, bye," I hang up and finish getting ready.

When I arrive at the bar, I see the one person out of those 3.5 billion that I didn't want to see. Unfortunately, avoiding someone in a town this small is not very possible.

"Hey Juliana," Vic is smoking a cigarette next to the entrance of the bar.

I clench my fists.

"Hi Vic," 

"I haven't seen you in a long time, how are you? What happened to your face?" he looks at me with genuine interest. 

The scab on my face has now turned into a gross pink spot, which I try hard to cover up with foundation. I'm not always successful though.

"Me and my face are fine, how are you?"

"I'm alright. I've missed you,"

"Yeah, right," I snort.

"What? I can't miss you anymore now either?" he frowns.

"Are you coming in or not?" I hold open the door. He smiles. God, that smile has been my weakness for so long.

I walk behind the bar where my colleague is still standing. He hands me his apron before clocking out.

Vic takes place right before me, of course.

"I saw you were in Split," he takes a sip from his freshly poured beer.

"I was, yes," I admit.

"With Lucia and Lauren? How are they doing?" 

"They're fine," I always forget how much he knows about me. Which is kind of logical, considering we were in a relationship for like 3 years. But it still creeps me out sometimes.

"Are you going to give me the cold shoulder all night long?" he raises his eyebrows. I just look at him and then look back at the glasses I'm cleaning.

"Look, Juliana, I've apologised so so so many times. You know I would do anything for you, it was never my intention to-"

"To sleep with another person?" 

I see his jaw tense up.

"I made it very clear in the beginning that once you cheat on me, we're over. It's already bad enough that I had to establish that, but it's even worse that you actually did it. We've had this conversation a thousand times, why would you keep bringing this up? I'm over it,"

"Then why the hell would you send me that text?"

He puts his phone in my face, which displays the text message Jure sent from my phone on that one night we were playing truth or dare.

"It was a drunken joke," I frown.

"It didn't seem like a joke to me,"

My phone buzzes in my pocket.

Desperate for someone else to talk to than this douchebag, I dry my hands and take it out. But what I find on my home screen completely throws me off again.

It's a DM from Jure.